Flickering device



Patented Feb; 1, 1938' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claim.

This invention relates to electric flickering or pulsating devicesadapted for use in connection with various types of electric, or neonsigns, toys, display advertising, etc., etc.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature,comprising gravity and electro-magnetic control means for making andbreaking the electric circuit to cause the flickering action.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thecharacter referred to having a spring metal pulsating contact arm uponwhich there is slidingly mounted a magnetically controlled weight forcontrolling the rateof pulsation of the said arm.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a device inwhich the magnet as well as the pulsating arm weight is adjustablymounted for controlling the rate of pulsation of 20 the device.

Another object is to produce a device of the character described inwhich the maximum simplicity of construction and operation is secured.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of theimprovements is better understood, the invention consistingsubstantially in the novel arrangement and co-relation of parts hereinfully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, whereinsimilar reference characters are used to describe corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and then finally pointed out andspecifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present inventiveconcept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention isnot to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure,and thelatter, therefore, is to be understood from an illustrative, rather thana restrictive standpoint. I

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety ofmechanical expressions, one of which, for the purpose of illustration,is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- 5 Figure 1 is a frontview of my improved flickering device with the front wall of the casinsFig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical connections or circuit.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, iii in-- dicates a casing inwhich my improved pulsating device is enclosed. Mounted upon a pair ofsupports Ii is an electro-magnetic coil i2 having a core l3 providedwith an arm or extension It at right angles thereto. The posts I i aresecured to' the base it of the casing in by means of screws I5.

Between the end walls I6 and I! of the casing there is provided acentral wall l8 to which is suitably secured a bracket IS in which thereis screw threadedly maintained a threaded post 20, terminating in atungsten tip 2i. When properly adjusted the post is locked in positionby a lock nut 22. Secured to the wall l8, directly above the bracket I9is an arm 23 preferably made of spring sheet brass of suitablethickness. The said spring arm is provided intermediate its ends with astud or post 24 having a tungsten tip 25 adapted to normally contact theterminal or tip 2| of the screw post 20. The free end of the spring arm23 is provided with a siidable iron or steel weight 26 which may besecured in place by means of a. screw 21.

Electrically connected by means of a screw 36 to the bracket I9, is awire 3| which leads to an electric source of current supply which may bean electric battery or an alternating or direct current generator notshown. Connected to the spring pulsating arm 23 is a wire 32 having abranch 33 connected to one end of the electromagnetic coil l2 and asecond branch 34 which may lead to an electric socket or as shown inFig. 5 to one terminal of an electric light bulb 36. The circuit iscompleted by means of a wire 36 which leads from the electric light bulbto the electric source of supply and is connected to the opposite end ofthe electro-magnetic coil l2 by a branch wire 31.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the current is turnedon, it will flow through the wire 3| to bracket i9 thence through theposts 20 and 24 to the arm 23 wires 32 and 33 to the coil i2 and throughthe electric light bulb 35 and thence back to the source of supplythrough the wire 36. When the current flows through the coil l2 thearmature i8 and arm I will become magnetically energized and draw theweighted spring arm 23 upwardly and break the electric contact betweenthe posts 20 and 24 causing a deenergizing of the armature l3 and aconsequent dropping of the arm 23 to again contact the posts 20 and 24to once more armature to again break thecircuit, the said operationcontinuing until the current is turned oil. It will be understood thatwith uchpulsation of the arm II the electric light ll goes on and oil orflickers.

The duration and frequency or the pulsations may be varied by moving theweight 20 towards or away from the contact posts 20 and 24. The nearerthe weight is moved to the contact points the more rapid the pulsationsand the further away the slower the pulsations. the effective result ofsuch adjustment being the shortening or lengthening of the arm 28, andthe consequent shortening or lengthening of the duration of thepulsations.

In Fig. 4, I have shown a modified form or the invention wherein thearmature ll is not provided with the extension I4, but the entireelectro-magnetic coil I! may be moved inwardly or outwardly tocorrespond with the movement or the weight 2 so as to maintain the saidweight within the magnetic held of the coil II. This is accomplished byproviding slots I through which the screws I! which secure the posts IIto the base i4 pass. By loosening the said screws it the coil I! may bemoved to any desired position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple andefllcient pulsating device which may be used wherever a flickering lightis desirable.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A pulsating device comprising a base, an electro-magnet supportedabove said base and having a core provided at one end with a lateral9,100,022 complete the electric circuit and energize the extension, asupport rising from said base and spaced from the magnet longitudinallyof the side arm 01' the core, a bracket carried by said support andadapted to have a conductor connected thereto, a contact carried by saidbracket. a resilient arm or nonmagnetic material extending from saidsupport over said bracket and carrying a contact disposed over thecontact oi the bracket, said arm extending in overlapped and parallelspaced relation to the side arm or the core, and a-weight or magneticmaterial carried by said arm and shiftable along the same opposite theside oi the core and constituting an armature.

2. A pulsating device comprising a base, a support rising from saidbase, a bracket extending horizontally from the support and carrying acontact. a vibratory arm of resilient nonmagnetic material extendinghorizontally from said support over said bracket and provided with acontact over the first contact, posts rising Irom said base at one sideoi! said arm and spaced from each other transversely o! the arm, anelectro-magnet between said posts having a core provided with extendedend portions secured upon the posts, one end portion of the core beingformed with a side extension extending longitudinally oi said arm withsaid arm in spaced parallel relation to one side thereof and a weight ofmagnetic material slidable along the portion of said arm opposite theside extension 01' the core and constituting an armature lor the magnet,and means for securing said weight in an adjusted position in spacedrelation to the free end of the arm.

JOSEPH TASCHER.

